Huge blasts, gunfire heard near Indian embassy in Kabul

A wounded Afghan policeman is being carried away from the site of one of the explosions in Kabul on May 24, 2013. (Reuters photo)

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NEW DELHI: Large explosions have been heard in Kabul on Friday followed by gunfire. Sources told Times Now that the explosions happened near the Indian embassy though the mission was not the target of the attack.

AFP reported that gunfire erupted as security forces rushed to the scene of the blasts that took place around 4pm local time. "There has been explosion in an area which is close to the NDS (intelligence agency) hospital and APPF (Afghan Public Protection Force) headquarters, we are investigating," Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai told AFP.

Reuters reported that a Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, called the agency by phone and claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban has carried out several similar attacks in the past in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.

There is no report on casualties yet.

On July 7, 2008 the Indian embassy was bombed in a suicide attack, which killed 58 people including two top Indian officials — Brigadier Ravi Datt Mehta and V Venkateswara Rao. The attack also injured nearly 150.

The Haqqani network is suspected to have carried out the attack with the help of Pakistan's intelligence agency the ISI.